Count your blessings
by Wisegirl2505
Summary: Piper is very sick. She can't possibly live at a hospital and her dad won't take care of her because of his job. Her only option is to go to Camp Half-Blood where sick kids understand her. She has finally found somewhere she belongs. But will her new-found friendship and perhaps romance be cut short? They are after all, sicks kids. WARNING: Major character death.
1. Chapter 1

**_AN: First story yay! Constructive criticism is appreciated but please try not to be mean. Flames are not appreciated but reviews and rates are. Let's start with cookies for everyone!_**

**_disclaimer- would this story be here if I owned percy jackson?_**

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><p><em>Prologue<em>

_Being sick isn't all that bad. You get to meet others like you. You learn how to cope with pain. But then there's the other part of it. Pity, side glances, sympathy, death and worst of all, abandonment. Sometimes it pushed everyone away from you. That's why it was better to be alone, not caring._

Chapter one- _If I die young_

Piper POV:

Before blackness consumed me, I saw my father's worried face. The lines carved deep into his skin. And then, the absence of feeling. I was floating in dark, warm water. _BEEEEEEP! _A loud noise jolted me out of my peaceful rest. Oh yeah. Pain, falling, and then blackness. I was in a familiar room. Pink flowers painted on the otherwise bare walls. I reached an arm out to steady myself but was pulled back. I noted the needle sticking in my arm and the clear tube that ran to a bag of fluid on my right. Machines were beeping all around me. Oh boy, yet another hospital trip.

"Piper," I was startled out of my thoughts by an unfamiliar voice. My eyes darted around trying to find the face that went with the soft voice. A nurse appeared in front of me. She was young, maybe early 20's with blonde hair in a long shining ponytail. Warm brown eyes greeted me as I found her face. She gave me a tight smile laced with worry and pity. Whoopee. "Piper your condition has worsened with your heart and it's possible you might be staying at the hospital full-time or your father will need to stay home and keep an eye on you." I snorted. Like my dad would ever quit his job so he could watch me.

"The second option won't happen. Seriously, isn't there any other option? I'd prefer not to live at a hospital."

"I'll call the doctor in. He'll bring your father too." I nodded my thanks as she left. I fell back onto the pillows, exhausted. There had to be another option. I would _not _live at a hospital. I sounded bratty, I knew. But who would _want _to live at a hospital? I was interrupted from moping as the doctor walked in with my dad. The nurse from before came in as well. She was swooning over my father. Of course. I was used to it but that didn't mean I liked it. The doctor cleared his throat.

"Hi Piper, I'm Dr. Solace. Your regular doctor has been fired. I'll be taking care of you fro, now on." I didn't like my other doctor anyway. He was pervy. And a dick. "As I was saying, Jenna, your nurse has already told you that your best options are living here or your father staying home full time to take care of you." Dad grimaced at that. I knew he wouldn't go for it.

"Isn't there anything else we can do? I'm not quite comfortable with Pipes staying here full time." Thank you Dad! I put on my best sweet, innocent smile. Dr. Solace smiled back at me. Huh, I knew I was persuasive but what the hell.

"There _is _another option but most people aren't very keen on it. It's a home called Camp Half-Blood. We had another home called Camp Jupiter but it burned down in a fire. Camp Half-Blood is very safe though. It has some of the best doctors I know. One of them is the one who helped train me and I worked as an intern there. Very friendly place. I'm sure you'd make lots of friends Piper. It isn't crowded. There are only 9 kids there. So that means you could transfer there today if you like." I looked up at my dad. Would he go for it? I silently prayed to any gods there were. He still looked a bit uncertain so I gave him my best puppy face.

"Alright. What do I have to sign?" Yes! I smiled gratefully at him. Dr. Solace said,

"Piper you can go home and pack and you'll be there soon. Mr. Mclean you can come with me so we can go over details." Mclean. My last name. I cringed at it. My dad was a famous actor and he got lots of attention. I hated attention. Also, I didn't want people to like me just because my dad was famous. I wanted to be liked for me. That's why I refused all the fancy clothes and shows and makeup he offered me. I wore boyish, ratty clothes and I cut my own hair with safety scissors making it purposely uneven. I was so caught up in my thoughts I hadn't realized the room was empty. I sighed and climbed out of the stiff sheets on the bed. My dad had left my clothes to change back into. Thank Gods. Dr. Solace and my dad came back in as I was shrugging on my high school sweatshirt. "Alright Piper you're all set! I'll see you soon for a checkup." Dr. Solace's smile was as bright as the sun. Geez, someone could get blinded by that. I climbed into the limo my father insisted on using. Honestly, I had no idea why. Poor Dad attempted to make small talk (which he sucked at btw. At least with me) But I ignored him and cranked up the music on my phone. I watched the barren land rush by. I hated fall. It was too cold and dark and empty. It made everything look dead which it technically was but was also lonely looking. Fall was also when my dad was the busiest. The only times I ever really saw my dad were when I was in the hospital. I just pretended not to care. What else could I do? Snapping back to reality, I noticed we were finally "home". It wasn't home to me. Just an empty mansion. Dad was never home so it was just me and the people who worked there. There wasn't any point in the mansion. It was just me and my dad. Dad never talked about mom but I had learned not to ask. I shimmied my way out of the sleek car and slammed the door shut making my father cringe. Whatever. I got away from him as fast as I could which wasn't very fast considering my heart problems.

"Pipes…" he called after me. I couldn't make myself look at him. This was my decision but it was still hard. I didn't want to leave the things I knew and my house no matter how empty it was. What if I couldn't make friends? What if they didn't like me? Realization struck fear into my failing heart. What if I died? I pushed the tears back as I slowly climbed the stairs. I refused to use the elevator because it was stupid and using it meant I was dead. The plush carpet went on forever until I _finally _reached my room. The only place I had ever felt safe. I had insisted I get a small room. I didn't want a huge, empty room that I had no need for. It would be a waste and I refused to be spoiled. I looked around the room taking it all in before I would have to leave. I had to get out of here as fast as possible. It would be easier to leave and maybe then I wouldn't feel like I was suffocating. I grabbed a suitcase out of my small closet and began throwing all my shit in it. I didn't have much stuff so it didn't take long. _The sooner I get out of here the better. _I thought to myself. After one last longing glance around my now empty room, I returned to the car. It was a bit of a relief to finally get out of that hell-hole.

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><p><strong>so how was it? Please review! I plan to update weekly if possible but be patient!<strong>

**Sami :)**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2- _Welcome to the black parade_

Piper POV:

The dull humming of the car's engine had lulled me into a peaceful sleep by the time we got to Camp Half-Blood. A gentle hand was shaking my shoulder and I groggily lifted my head.

"Huh?"

"Piper we're here. Time to get up honey." Dad. Yawning, I stretched my arms above me and listened to the muscles pop and crack. I arched my back and sighed in pleasure. Just to annoy my father, I took plenty of time to gather all my belongings and trek towards the house. There was a huge pine tree right next to the house. It was light blue with a huge, white wraparound porch that looked spotless. There were flowerpots everywhere and a little white table with two chairs. There was a red checkered cloth on the table and a deck of cards. Geez. If the outside was this nice then they must be compensating for something. My father hoisted the bags up onto the creaky porch and I stared at my feet. I noticed the scruffiness of my converse and thought; _maybe I should get some new ones. Nah. _The old paint was cracked and peeling off the ancient wood and I scuffed my toe against it. Dad rang the doorbell that was shaped like a sword. What the hell? I tried to peer through the windows but they were covered with lacy, white curtains. I heard shouting inside. It was absolute chaos in there. I began to get nervous. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. _No. _I steeled myself. _It's better than living alone, Piper. Or in a hospital. _I hated hospitals. Usually I preferred not to stuck with needles. But hey, at least I got cool Band-Aids. Hello Kitty and Sesame Street, Mickey Mouse, etc. Yeah. Whoopee. Just as I lifted my head, the heavy white door swung open. A kid's face peered out. His amber eyes filled with confusion.

"Chiron!" he called into the house. I squinted at him. He seemed so familiar yet I couldn't place my finger on it. The boy was staring at me too. He reminded me of my friend Leo who had left school last year due to medical problems. My dad looked between the two of us. Medical problems…

Repair Boy!" I cried. Leo's face lit up as he recognized me.

"Beauty queen!" he shouted. We rushed at each other and engulfed each other in an embrace. I couldn't believe it. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. I've already got one friend. "Oh no." Leo said. I pulled back.

"What?"

"This means your heart condition got way worse!" My face burned.

"Oh yeah. Hey at least I'll die with you here." I joked. Leo grinned again. We were about to hug again when a man came up behind Leo. His kind brown eyes had a kind of wisdom and sadness in them as if he knew much but it wasn't all good. He smiled at me and said,

"I'm Chiron Brunner. You may call me Chiron. You're Piper I presume?" his voice was soft, yet full of power. I nodded.

"Yes sir." Chiron chuckled. Then he looked past me and saw my father.

"Ah Mr. McLean! Come in come in. I'll give you and your daughter a tour. So nice to meet you." I already loved Chiron. If he knew my dad was famous, he didn't care and treated him like a regular person. Leo tugged on my arm and pulled me inside the house. If possible, the inside was even nicer than he outside. I could still hear yelling in another room and I doubted it was the TV. My dad must have heard it too because he stopped walking and cocked his head. Chiron turned and noticed our confused expressions. He smiled sadly. "I apologize for the racket. One of our campers had a little accident. No need to worry though. Our doctors will fix him right up." I wondered what Chiron had meant by accident. Maybe a relapse of some kind or something? Whatever the case, I felt a little bad for whoever it was. Leo nudged me and mouthed _its okay. _I nodded and started after Chiron. Pictures were all over the walls of the narrow hallway. I wondered how sick people could be so happy. Maybe it was all an act for the press or something. I craned my neck and tried to see all of the pictures. I could hear my dad laughing up ahead and ran to catch up with him. "This is the bathroom for the boys so I would advise you don't wander in here, Piper." Chiron smiled and I let out a laugh. He kept moving and I listened to him to describe the girls' bathroom and all the bedrooms. He told me I would have a roommate. I could live with that. "You roommate will be Annabeth. You'll meet her at dinner. I'm afraid she's a little ah… preoccupied right now." Chiron smiled tightly. Great. I hoped she wasn't a bitch. "Here's my office. If you ever need anything, I'll be in here Piper. We like to let the kids decide for themselves because they are all old enough to take care of themselves and be responsible." He assured my father. "Last but not least, our basement. We have an Xbox and a GameCube for video games and a projector for movies. There's a pool out back too. The campers like to hang out down here a lot of the time but I do require you to go outside for at least an hour every day unless it's raining, snowing, etc." I chuckled. Then I grew somber and turned to my dad. I hoped he would call.

"Bye Dad. I love you." My voice cracked. _I won't cry. I won't. I'm not a baby. _

"Bye Pipes. Stay healthy and have fun. I love you too. I'll call." I almost cried at that. He wouldn't call. He'd get busy and forget about me. His cell-phone beeped and he left the room with an apologetic look. I stood in the doorway, feeling empty. A hand touched my shoulder and I looked behind me. How had I not noticed Chiron was in a wheel chair? How strange. I guess I was just too caught up in what was happening to notice. I sighed and gave Chiron a tight smile. Chiron returned the smile though his eyes showed his worry. Distantly, a bell rang from the direction of what I thought was the kitchen.

"Dinnertime." Chiron left me standing there and I numbly walked towards the dining room. It was absolute chaos. Nine kids were laughing and shouting, throwing food at each other and yelling insults. I was completely bewildered as I took the scene in. Again one thought came. _How are they so happy? _It obviously wasn't an act so how were they _so damn happy? _I couldn't understand. Leo noticed me and came rushing forward like a tornado. I smiled in spite of myself. He dragged me to the head of the table where a blonde boy was sitting, all by himself. Leo screamed a crazy battle cry and pounded his chest to get everyone's attention.

"Everyone! This is…" he gestured dramatically. "Piper! She is my best friend and you shall make her feel welcome and uncomfortable." Blonde boy gasped and held a hand to his heart.

"Leo! I thought _I _was your best friend!" he said while wiping away a fake tear. I couldn't help it- I giggled.

"Sorry, but that spot's taken." I said, smiling. He grinned and I noticed his deep blue eyes and the way they sparkled. Electric blue, like lightning. He seemed perfect, his golden hair close cropped and striking eyes but I noticed a little scar on his upper lip. That little imperfection made me feel better. I took the empty chair next to him and smiled. "I guess I could honor you with my presence," I joked. He threw his head back and laughed.

"Jason. Jason Grace." When I shook his hand I noticed a tattoo. Huh. Guess he's not so perfect. "Hey give us the food lovebirds!" he shouted down the table at a blonde girl and raven- haired boy.

"No way, Grace! I'll let you starve." Raven boy shouted back. Blondie hit him. "Ow!" he pouted. "I'm fragile Wise-girl!"

"Oh shut up Seaweed Brain. Pass the food down, Percy." Percy obliged and then kissed her. I looked away, feeling an ache gnawing at my insides. They seemed perfect.

"There ya go Sparky!" Leo grinned. Jason grimaced and I raised an eyebrow.

"Sparky?" I questioned. He laughed nervously and ran a hand through his short hair.

"Uh, my medical condition. I have severe heart arrhythmia and that has something to do with my electrolytes or something and I always get shocked back to life." he explained. So he was a heart kid. His story was kind of hilariously morbid. I cracked a smile and scooped some of the mashed potatoes on to my plate. The smell drifted up and my mouth watered. "So, what's wrong with you?" Jason asked me bluntly. For some reason, I didn't want to tell him in front of everyone else.

"Another time," I told him gently. He shrugged and went back to his food.

"Heyyyyy Beauty Queen." I heard Leo's perky voice.

"What is it Repair Boy?" Leo's face was a mask of fake hurt. He sniffled and I punched him in the shoulder. Hard.

"Ow," he pouted. Jason just laughed and I felt my cheeks warm. No. No way. I didn't blush. Never. There was a tapping on my shoulder and I whirled with another biting response on my tongue. I was surprised to fine Chiron there with a palm full of pills. _Oh boy. _I quickly turned away from Leo and Jason and swallowed the pills.

"There's no need to be embarrassed," Jason's soft voice said. I turned and met Jason's level gaze. Giving a faint smile, I left towards the direction I remembered my room being. There were four other girls at the table. But which one was Annabeth? Stepping into the dimly lit room, I saw my bags sitting on an unoccupied bed. The other bed had a light grey comforter with a stuffed owl sitting against the pillow. Books were strewn all over the room and on the window seat. I picked one up and noticed it was in Greek. Wow. She had to be crazy smart. _Lucky. _

"So I see you've found my collection." I whirled an saw the blonde girl who I assumed was Percy's girlfriend. She stuck out her hand and I shook it while studying her eyes. They were grey but they weren't dull. Her eyes were stormy and calculating like she was deciding how to take me out. " I'm Annabeth."

"Piper," I returned.

"You're really pretty," Annabeth smiled. I blushed.

"Really? Thanks," I replied. Blushing twice in one day oh my gods. I yawned and motioned to Annabeth that I was going to bed. As I climbed beneath the covers I thought about Jason, Percy, and Annabeth and how friendly they all seemed. I felt like I could trust them. Especially Jason. I smiled to myself and drifted off.


End file.
